Pats' trade speculation turns into a Fleury

It was only a matter of time before John Paddock tested the WHL trade waters.

Amidst growing speculation from a restless fan base, the Regina Pats’ head coach and general manager finally made a splash on Monday when he acquired 19-year-old defenceman Cale Fleury in a blockbuster deal with the Kootenay Ice.

While Paddock is eager to welcome the Montreal Canadiens’ third-rounder into his lineup, Fleury made it clear that he’s equally excited to join the host team for the 2018 Memorial Cup.

“It’s definitely a place I wanted to get traded to if I was going to get traded,” said the Carlyle product, who’s slated to arrive in Regina on Tuesday. “Obviously the Memorial Cup is a pretty good thing. It’s pretty exciting but everything I’ve heard about the team and the organization (is appealing). Playing against them the last couple years, I’ve seen what it would be like to play there. Being from Saskatchewan, too, it’s pretty neat coming back.”

Paddock had his eyes on Fleury for over a year but couldn’t pry him away from the Ice’s previous regime. The club was sold last spring and Paddock quickly approached new GM Matt Cockell during the WHL awards luncheon in May.

They spoke again at league meetings in June and have had on-and-off discussions ever since.

“This has been a player that’s a priority,” Paddock said of the 6-foot-1, 201-pounder, who has six goals and 10 points in 17 games this season. “He’s going to be a more physical defender than we have and he has a good shot. He’s just a real good (all-around) player. That’s what we were looking for.”

As Memorial Cup hosts, the Pats are obligated to upgrade a team that sits third in the Eastern Conference at 11-8-2. They landed the captain of the Ice in exchange for defenceman Jonathan Smart, 18, forward Cole Muir, 16, and two bantam draft picks (second- and sixth-rounders in 2018), plus a conditional pick in 2019 or 2020.

Although Fleury didn’t come cheaply, Paddock had no issue swallowing the deal.

“We agreed on this price actually quite a while ago,” said Paddock. “It took a while to finalize (because school-age players have no-trade clauses). It’s hard giving up a young player like Cole Muir, who’s going to be a good player. But that’s the price you have to pay.”

Paddock isn’t done, either.

His next priority is expected to be a top-six winger, but he’s also not done tweaking the back end.

“We’re a work in progress,” said Paddock, whose team lost 3-2 and 3-1 to the first-place Moose Jaw Warriors on the weekend. “We faced one of if not the top team in the league the last two games and we see where we’re at. I don’t think it’s a big, big gap but Moose Jaw is a top team. They’re a pretty good barometer to know where you have to tinker with your team.”

Paddock believes he has the necessary ammunition despite owing one more first-round pick to the Red Deer Rebels from last year’s Josh Mahura trade. Another first-rounder is in limbo because of a previous deal with the Everett Silvertips for the WHL rights to Colorado Avalanche centre Tyson Jost.

Assuming he remains in the NHL as expected, it’ll free up another asset before the Jan. 10 trade deadline.

“We have three of the next four first-round picks available,” added Paddock. “There’s nothing that isn’t available that can be available to get us where we want to be in May.”

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